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253
[1907
take them home, and slaughter—after the necessary resting and fasting—and hang the
carcases on the front of his shop for attraction and show for days together, whilst, owing
to the very keen competition, he is at the same time cutting and selling in his shop
carcases from the dead meat market in order to earn a few shillings more than would be
possible from meat all of his own killing.
This does not apply to all shops that have licensed slaughterhouses, for many of
them only purchase dead meat as a necessary convenience in broken parts according to the
requirements of their respective shops.
The number of animals slaughtered during the year was as follows:—
Oxen Cows Calves Sheep and Lambs Pigs Total.
2,146 4 142 24,380 2 26,674
These, as a whole, were prime animals, and would compare most favourably with
those killed in any district in the United Kingdom, either in private slaughterhouses or
any public abattoir, both for quality and freedom from disease, which is another excellent
feature in the conduct of the private slaughterhouses within the Borough.
This, as you are well aware, has only been attained by a constant supervision
of them, and can only be maintained in like manner, for although I do
not pretend that it is possible to examine all the carcases immediately after slaughter,
scattered over so large an area, every endeavour is made to adapt the visits to changing
circumstances (regarding times of slaughter, etc.), and under the dual system of slaughterhouse
and shop inspection, not much of the meat escapes your Inspector's notice at one
time or another, consequently it is most improbable that any diseased meat would be
prepared therein to risk the possibility of detection at a later stage, when the consequences
to the butcher would be far more serious. Hence the reason for butchers sometimes
specially calling in the Inspector to examine carcases that have been dressed during his
absence, when they prove to be in an abnormal condition.
It therefore gives me the utmost pleasure to report as above (more especially
because this has been accomplished without friction with the trade), and that, owing tothe
good feeling that exists, your Inspector is in a position to examine sufficiently into the
conduct of all their respective businesses to suit all his official requirements without his
presence feeling irksome to them.
A perusal of Table "A" of this report shows that of the 2,146 oxen slaughtered,
8 only were known to be affected with tuberculosis, which is only 0.37 per cent., and it
will also be found that only in one instance was that disease of such a generalised nature
as to warrant the destruction of the entire carcase and all the organs. This, however, was
a great hardship on the butcher, who willingly surrendered it for destruction when its
diseased condition was clearly pointed out to him, although it had cost him £,21. Backed
by the National Federation of meat Traders, the owner has since brought an action in the High
Courts of Justice to recover the value of the animal from the feeder—a noted Norfolk farmer and
dealer—but was unsuccessful. It will further be found that out of over 2,000 cattle killed only 4
were cows, and that of these one, or 25 per cent., was tuberculous, and that was of a
localised character.
Other abnormal affections which came under your Inspector's notice, concerning
various animals and due to parasitic and other causes, will also be found set forth in the
same table.
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